Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1887-02-12
WOMEN OF THE FAR WEST.
How They Work and Vote In Dakota ant
Montana.


How They Work and Vote In Dakota and
Montana.
Fort Keogh letter In Philadelphia Record.l
In all political canvasses out this
votes which may be counted upon at
the polls, the votes of women are noted,
recognized, and sought in every way.
l he poll-tax, which every voter between
twenty one and fifty is obliged to pay,
whether male or female, is specially
for school purposes. AS one of the
girls puts it: "One of the principles
for which the Revolutionary War was
fought was that taxation should have
representation, and the justice of the
principle is as unguestioned to-day as
it was one hundred years ago."
AS farmers, the ladies are also en-
titled to tho cake. Woman has been
typitied as tender vine clinging to the
sturdy oak, which is supposed to be
emblematic of strong man. Out
here in the free Northwest it is quite
the reverse, and every day one can see
or hear Of examples where the gentler
sex prove asupporting oak to the weak
tendril, man. A well-known married
woman little west of here, whose hus-
band has been absent nine months out
of the twelve looking after horses and
rounding up cattle, during the last
spring and summer did all alone and
unaided her own blowing. When
blowing time came this enterprising
mother constructed box on the pillow
in which to carry her baby, and thus
she plowed the burrows. She then
proceeded to harrow, plant, and culti-
yate, and in this way produced q fine
crop, which she harvested and packed
away by the time the old man came
home. This is only one example out
of u hundred. Some of the girls in
Dakota and Montana have taken to ed
iting newspapers. AS a rule the pa
pers edited by the Territorial girls are
credit to journalism. Miss M. s.
Mills has, besides getting out on time
the weekly edition of the Hawley Star,
proved up presumption, planted five
acres on a tree claim, built sawmill,
and raised the largest cabbage in the
county. Her turnips look like verita-
bic cart-wheels, and took the first prize
at the agricultural fair. This damsel
now has the modest lump of 48O acres
in her own right.
The solution of the woman problem
seems to be that woman may do what
ever she can. Girls on the prairies of
Dakota and Montana are now living
alone, in isolated cabins, mi es from
humanity, and yet are they safer in all
respects than in large Eastern cities.
These plucky homesteaders spend
whole summers alone on their claims,
and neither fear nor have cause to fear
the least intrusion. Such absolute
freedom from all restraint is rarely en-
joyed by anybody; but here it is a fact
and no mistake. True, it is little
lonesome at times; but then, when the
girls are in pairs, one can ride, walk,
run, saunter, wear old clothes, sun
bonnet, or hat, can sing, shout, carol,
trill, chant in seven octaves, and no.
body to complain about it, They are
free and light-hearted, of course, and
the very picture of rosy health. Most
all of them can shoot, and when they
do, if necessary, they shoot to kill.
Last week Mr.. and Mrs. Evans were
of Belt Creek, to look after their cat
tie. They were on horseback, and,
after gathering tile animals together
and counting them, found that dozen
or SO were missing. Mr.. Evans then
started across Belt Greek, where he
had seen number of head the day be-
fore, instructing Mrs. Evans to go back
| about a milo and take trail up to tho
ranch, on the lookout for any missing
cattle, deciding on place where they
would meet. She had not proceeded
far, however, when she saw in q little
basin before her three of their calves
and two enormous gray wolves with
| them, the latter engaged in the pleas
ant pastime of eating the calves alive.
On the impulse of the moment, never
thinking OF danger, Mrs. Evans dashed
up the pony and was soon in the midst
of the wolves and their prey. Then
she industriously laid about her with
her riding whip, driving tho wolves
back, although they We're snarling mad
and exceedingly savage about leaving.
The wolves made dash at her, where
upon the pony SHE'D and nearly I'M
seated the fair equestrian, but she
quickly recovered her balance and
dashed back at the brutes with such
energy and determination that they
fed from the field and left the brave
woman in absolute possession. Two of
| the calves died from their injuries that
night, and the other one was literally
torn to pieces. When it is considered
that hunters and cowboys, well armed
! sometimes hesitate to attack the fero-
cious gray wolf on the prairie, it is all
the more astonishing to think that one
woman alone and unarmed, would care
to attack and do up two such monsters
in such brilliant style as Mrs. Evans